NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says he opposed US capture of Venezuela’s president

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has said that he contacted President Donald Trump to voice his opposition to the US military’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, calling the move a serious violation of international norms.

Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, have been indicted in the Southern District of New York and are being transferred to the city to face federal charges. Speaking at a press conference, Mamdani said that he raised his concerns directly with the president over what he described as a unilateral action against a sovereign country.

“I called the president and spoke with him directly to register my opposition to this act,” Mamdani said, adding that he made his position clear but did not disclose Trump’s response.

The development comes just days after Mamdani was sworn in as mayor.

He said he was briefed by senior city officials, including his chief of staff and the police commissioner, on Saturday morning about the operation and the planned federal custody of the Venezuelan leader in New York.

In a statement on X, Mamdani said that “unilaterally attacking a sovereign nation is an act of war and a violation of federal and international law.” He added that the situation also affects New York’s Venezuelan community, stressing that his administration is focused on public safety and will continue to monitor developments closely.

Tweet by Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani